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bakunzi1990's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
writtenontheflyleaves's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck π
πππππ
π The plot: When Tom Joad is released from prison and returns to his family's farm in Oklahoma, it is to find them packing up to move west. The 1930s Dust Bowl crisis has decimated their land and the corporate farmers who own it are driving them out, toward the too-good-to-be-true promise of prosperity in California. The trials and tribulations of the Joads' journey mirrors the broader story of workers at this point in the development of modern capitalism.
If you'd have told me when I'd just started this book and read a whole chapter about corn that this would turn out to be a five star read, I wouldn't have believed you. There are significant caveats to those five stars, but overall, this one really surprised me!
With chapters alternating between the Joad family's story and the broader plight of migrant workers, the scope of this novel is incredible. I think a lot about how separated I am from the production of most of the things I need to live, and this book charts the rise of this separation in America, as machines enable corporate farmers to put profits before people. The chapter in which an angry farmer has it explained to him that a company is not a person, and there is nowhere he can go and no person he can reason with to change its doing, is a perfect illustration of how capitalism works to alienate and disempower workers.
The novel highlights the solidarity and humanity found in migrant camps, as well as the deep corruption of the US police. If you think the Defund movement is only a few years old/ only relevant to Black Americans/ that one of the key functions of policing isn't to protect property of the rich, read this book.
On that note however, as I said before, there are caveats to my praise for this novel. Firstly, it focuses solely on the white migrant experience, so its depiction is by no means comprehensive. You'd also think from this book that there were 10 men for every one woman in America. And finally there's some evidence Steinbeck plagiarised a lot of it from a woman whose notes he read without her knowledge. So definitely let that inform your reading!
π Read it if you like books that deal with how individual stories fit into overarching historical trends, particularly capitalism.
π« Avoid it if you're avoiding stories featuring police violence or stillbirth, if you don't like novels that read a bit like fables, or if you'd rather invest your energy researching an intersectional history of the Dust Bowl crisis (very fair if so, this is a big book)
πππππ
π The plot: When Tom Joad is released from prison and returns to his family's farm in Oklahoma, it is to find them packing up to move west. The 1930s Dust Bowl crisis has decimated their land and the corporate farmers who own it are driving them out, toward the too-good-to-be-true promise of prosperity in California. The trials and tribulations of the Joads' journey mirrors the broader story of workers at this point in the development of modern capitalism.
If you'd have told me when I'd just started this book and read a whole chapter about corn that this would turn out to be a five star read, I wouldn't have believed you. There are significant caveats to those five stars, but overall, this one really surprised me!
With chapters alternating between the Joad family's story and the broader plight of migrant workers, the scope of this novel is incredible. I think a lot about how separated I am from the production of most of the things I need to live, and this book charts the rise of this separation in America, as machines enable corporate farmers to put profits before people. The chapter in which an angry farmer has it explained to him that a company is not a person, and there is nowhere he can go and no person he can reason with to change its doing, is a perfect illustration of how capitalism works to alienate and disempower workers.
The novel highlights the solidarity and humanity found in migrant camps, as well as the deep corruption of the US police. If you think the Defund movement is only a few years old/ only relevant to Black Americans/ that one of the key functions of policing isn't to protect property of the rich, read this book.
On that note however, as I said before, there are caveats to my praise for this novel. Firstly, it focuses solely on the white migrant experience, so its depiction is by no means comprehensive. You'd also think from this book that there were 10 men for every one woman in America. And finally there's some evidence Steinbeck plagiarised a lot of it from a woman whose notes he read without her knowledge. So definitely let that inform your reading!
π Read it if you like books that deal with how individual stories fit into overarching historical trends, particularly capitalism.
π« Avoid it if you're avoiding stories featuring police violence or stillbirth, if you don't like novels that read a bit like fables, or if you'd rather invest your energy researching an intersectional history of the Dust Bowl crisis (very fair if so, this is a big book)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Racial slurs, and Racism
grantsharpies's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Miscarriage, Racism, Violence, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
avsdhpn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Death, Genocide, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
thatokiebird's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Grapes of Wrath is the story of the Joad family wrapped in tragedy, and most importantly to note is the story of this fictional family is actually the real-life history of unimaginably numerous families in the 1930's America. This is the third book of John Steinbeck's I have read, and I enjoyed this one just as well. All of his books seem to be full of heartbreak and little joy, and yet his writing is just so good. There's nothing flowery about it. No hidden intentions that must be interpreted by the reader. Just straight-forward storytelling with a mix of character and plot moving the story right along. And yet the pace is slow, and the dialogue can occasionally go round and round and be repetitive. But honestly, that can be quite accurate and true to life.
For the most part, I didn't particularly like any of the characters in the book. They're all flawed and make poor decisions, and interact with each other in ways where you feel a bit bad for the opposite character. And yet, these facts didn't take away from the book like I would expect. It made it almost more believable in a way. Because you don't necessarily have to like a person to empathize with their situation and hope for a better outcome for them.
Reading The Grapes of Wrath was actually a bit of a relief for me - I haven't liked the majority of the classic novels I've read in the last year and I was beginning to fear I simply don't like that genre any more. But I did enjoy this one, and will certainly continue reading John Steinbeck's other books.
For the most part, I didn't particularly like any of the characters in the book. They're all flawed and make poor decisions, and interact with each other in ways where you feel a bit bad for the opposite character. And yet, these facts didn't take away from the book like I would expect. It made it almost more believable in a way. Because you don't necessarily have to like a person to empathize with their situation and hope for a better outcome for them.
Reading The Grapes of Wrath was actually a bit of a relief for me - I haven't liked the majority of the classic novels I've read in the last year and I was beginning to fear I simply don't like that genre any more. But I did enjoy this one, and will certainly continue reading John Steinbeck's other books.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
loveislandkentuky's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
4.5/5
I think this is the best classic I've ever read. I have not read a lot of Steinbeck but I'm starting to think maybe I should. Going into it, I had no expectations for what the book would be like except that I had gotten a good recommendation, so you can imagine my surprise when it turns out to be the most anti-capitalist book I've ever read.
Throughout the book, Steinbeck portrays heavy anti-capitalist, anti-cop, anti-big-owner, ideas and it was very interesting to read about. When the book was released originally, it was met with great backlash due to this but I think no matter if you loved it or hated it, it really gets you thinking and questioning your own beliefs, which I believe is above all, the mark of great literature.
Although it is an old book, the ideas are not too dated (besides of course use of the n-word as well as some misogynistic family value ideas) and the language is still very easy to understand. Steinbeck's work remarkably stood the test of time.
I think he has an interesting portrayal of characters as well as just enough plot so that his ideologies do not take over the book completely. I really enjoyed his in-between chapters, where Steinbeck would enter an entirely different point of view and discuss happenings of the time. It added great context to what was happening at the time as well as what you could expect from the chapter. It was like every chapter had its own little prologue which I really liked.
This is not to say that the book was perfect, there were some questionable points, but overall the book was very enjoyable for me, and I really did like it a lot. It's a long read, but I would definitely say it was worth it.
I think this is the best classic I've ever read. I have not read a lot of Steinbeck but I'm starting to think maybe I should. Going into it, I had no expectations for what the book would be like except that I had gotten a good recommendation, so you can imagine my surprise when it turns out to be the most anti-capitalist book I've ever read.
Throughout the book, Steinbeck portrays heavy anti-capitalist, anti-cop, anti-big-owner, ideas and it was very interesting to read about. When the book was released originally, it was met with great backlash due to this but I think no matter if you loved it or hated it, it really gets you thinking and questioning your own beliefs, which I believe is above all, the mark of great literature.
Although it is an old book, the ideas are not too dated (besides of course use of the n-word as well as some misogynistic family value ideas) and the language is still very easy to understand. Steinbeck's work remarkably stood the test of time.
I think he has an interesting portrayal of characters as well as just enough plot so that his ideologies do not take over the book completely. I really enjoyed his in-between chapters, where Steinbeck would enter an entirely different point of view and discuss happenings of the time. It added great context to what was happening at the time as well as what you could expect from the chapter. It was like every chapter had its own little prologue which I really liked.
This is not to say that the book was perfect, there were some questionable points, but overall the book was very enjoyable for me, and I really did like it a lot. It's a long read, but I would definitely say it was worth it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder
Minor: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, and Death of parent
jennalynn48's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Death, Medical trauma, Car accident, and Death of parent
sleepycatreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
An incredibly powerful novel about the migration of the Joad family from Oklahoma to California during the dust bowl.
This book is incredibly well researched and is a brutal and realistic description, that will really make you think and reflect.
The main issue for me was not so much an issue but a personal preference. The pacing is slow and while I think it worked really well for the novel, itβs just not to my personal taste.
This book is incredibly well researched and is a brutal and realistic description, that will really make you think and reflect.
The main issue for me was not so much an issue but a personal preference. The pacing is slow and while I think it worked really well for the novel, itβs just not to my personal taste.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
edwardian_girl_next_door's review against another edition
Alright, I didn't make it through this book, but it was bound to happen for two reasons: a crappy English teacher and I don't much enjoy American literature. I feel like this endeavour was doomed from the first; and looking back I'm surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did. I hate leaving a book unfinished, especially when it wasn't necessarily at fault, so the most I can do is leave an explanation. Here it goes.
To take first, my crappy English teacher. Having a bad teacher makes the content so much harder to enjoy! I wasn't encouraged to continue with this book because I basically received no class insight or analysis and I was too busy to research it on my own. Maybe I'll be more available in the future and can do more research into the time period, author, text, &c. to better appreciate the book.
Secondly, I'm not the biggest fan of American literature, so I didn't particularly take to this book. Pretty self-explanatory. I also discovered Steinbeck isn't my cup of tea. I can appreciate it as literature, but I'd rather read something else. Nothing specific I can pinpoint (besides the often disturbing and violent turns his narratives take), I just don't like it.
One thing I did like about The Grapes of Wrath was Jim Casey. I am endlessly fascinated by priest/clergy characters and their various tropes, and Casey both fit into a priest trope but also maintained nuanced elements to his character. I enjoyed his kindly, loyal, honest nature and his talks with Tom Joad.Actually, I was planning on independently continuing to read (we only read a portion of the novel in class), but I looked ahead a bit and read the section where Casey gets killed. That was the deal-breaker for me. My favourite characters always get killed, and although I did (reluctantly) sign up for the breastfeeding scene at the end, I did NOT sign up for another character death.
Final verdict: a slow, gritty book about hillbilly drama with twinges of violence and vernacular. I might pick it up again in the future just to say I've read it.
To take first, my crappy English teacher. Having a bad teacher makes the content so much harder to enjoy! I wasn't encouraged to continue with this book because I basically received no class insight or analysis and I was too busy to research it on my own. Maybe I'll be more available in the future and can do more research into the time period, author, text, &c. to better appreciate the book.
Secondly, I'm not the biggest fan of American literature, so I didn't particularly take to this book. Pretty self-explanatory. I also discovered Steinbeck isn't my cup of tea. I can appreciate it as literature, but I'd rather read something else. Nothing specific I can pinpoint (besides the often disturbing and violent turns his narratives take), I just don't like it.
One thing I did like about The Grapes of Wrath was Jim Casey. I am endlessly fascinated by priest/clergy characters and their various tropes, and Casey both fit into a priest trope but also maintained nuanced elements to his character. I enjoyed his kindly, loyal, honest nature and his talks with Tom Joad.
Final verdict: a slow, gritty book about hillbilly drama with twinges of violence and vernacular. I might pick it up again in the future just to say I've read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Child death
lowkeymarie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Almost DNF'd this one a few times in the first couple hundred pages but I'm glad I stuck it out. Such a moving story with memorable characters and themes that are still infuriatingly relevant today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Child death
Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Classism